Along with municipal officials from Jeddah, officials from Umlaj and Wadi Hashbal in Khamis Mushayt were also in attendance at the meeting that was held to discuss precautionary measures to protect against floods and manage natural disasters.
The meeting was also attended by officials from the Water Management Department at Jeddah Municipality.
The US experts expressed their views on how to manage floods in Jeddah. They identified 14 places that are vulnerable to flashfloods from the east, north and center of Jeddah. Suggested solutions include the removal of buildings at dangerous locations and the construction of more flood canals linked to the Northern Flood Canal.
Participants also asked to know experts’ views on the various dams and canals in Jeddah, including the Samer and Umm Khair dams, said Husain Baaqeel, chairman of the Jeddah Municipal Council.
Bassam Akhdar, a member of the council, delivered a video presentation of past efforts to counter floods in Jeddah. The presentation also included workshops and field visits that took place before the rainy season and details of other emergency meetings held by concerned officials.
Akhdar also stressed the need for coordination between various government departments. The chairman of the Umlaj Municipality suggested bi-annual meetings of all municipal councils in the Kingdom to discuss flood-related issues.
